Step through the door of Custom Gunworks in the heart of Dawsonville, Georgia and the outdoorsman can temporarily forget the stresses of the office or job site.  Custom rifles and photographs of trophy kills line the walls of this haven dedicated to the sport of shooting.

Owned and operated by Dwight Gilleland, Custom Gunworks offers one of the few certified gunsmiths in the state—Bob Carleton.   

Bob Carleton

Bob Carleton was born in Independence, Missouri but left at the age of one, “taking along his parents,” Bob jokes.  The family relocated to Colorado where he remained until nearly ten years ago.  A family visit to Dawsonville encouraged the lifelong hunter and trapper to stay in North Georgia.  “There was all kinds of hunting in the woods and the Riverbend Gun club going full-blast.  Colorado shuts down in the winter.”  This seemed a good place to enjoy sport year round for Bob. 

Bob understands better than most the art and science of hunting and trapping. From Alaska where he hunted grizzly and moose to Africa in pursuit of zebra and kudu, Bob has travelled the world not only enjoying the sport, but also perfecting it by using custom rifles he himself has created.   

From Tundra to Bush, Bob recalls stories from adventures that have taken him all over North America and across the globe.  For a time Bob worked as a logger in a family business and spent some time mining gold and even uranium.  “I still don’t glow in the dark any,” laughs Bob.  Incidentally, he also owned and operated a ranch in Colorado where scenes from the John Wayne classic, “True Grit” were shot.  Ask Bob about time he spent with the “Duke” during filming. 

Bob has worked on guns most of his life; following in the footsteps of his father.  He is a graduate of Trinidad State College with a degree in gunsmithing.  Bob reports that people come from all over the world to participate in the rigorous gunsmithing program although he suspects there are few graduates here is Georgia. 

When customers visit Custom Gunworks they can expect to have a gun built from stock to barrel exclusively for that customer.  “Whatever they want,” states Bob, “actions, calibers; we build it right for them.”  Custom Gunworks also repairs guns of any type including hunting rifles, military and handguns.  “People can customize their own guns; we build custom stocks, re-blue guns, and repair all of them” 

Custom Gunworks in Dawsonville is distinguished from other gunsmiths by a commitment to “good personal service and fast turnaround.”  Bob recalls an old gunsmith in which it might take a year to return a gun to the customer and it might not work any better than when it was taken in, “But normally here,” says Bob, “they can get their guns right back.  I’ll fix them and send them back out.” It is this commitment to good service that keeps customers returning from all over the United States. 

Bob is also called on to repair damaged guns that have been in floods from regions such as Florida and Louisiana as well as fires.  This can require completely rebuilding the stock and bluing the guns-- magically bringing back to life something that might otherwise be completely lost. 

Bob Carleton is certified to work on most any type of gun including military and police weapons—from machine guns on down.  “I can work on a tank, if they want me to, says Bob.  “I do get quite a bit of military business in here—Fort Benning, Camp Merrill, Fort Bragg.” 

At Custom Gunworks, Bob Carleton guarantees all his work.  He considers customer satisfaction his number one priority and takes pride on being as fast and efficient as possible.  Bob has shot so many guns in his vast experience, he “knows what’s needed to make one perform the way it should.” 

Mark Neal of Cumming, who brought in a Stoeger shotgun for repair, states he brings his guns to Custom Gunworks for the “professional work.”  “I know that when I get it back, it’s going to be done correctly.  I had a custom rifle made one time, and Bob was the third gunsmith that worked on it.  It has shot perfectly since he finally worked on it.  Before that, I had held gunsmiths in low esteem.” 

He tells Bob, “If I had come to you first and had you build the gun, I would have saved a couple thousand dollars, I think."   

"I just wish I’d have known about Bob before I started all that.  But since then, if I need anything fixed, it’s fixed; it’s done right; I don’t have to bring it back.  There are a lot of hacks around...”

Bob Carleton is a life member of the North American Hunting Club, Safari Club International, two chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation and Ducks Unlimited.  Additionally he is a life member of the National Rifle Association as well as endowment member and Golden Eagle.

Visit Custom Gunworks today to discover the large selection of custom rifles and handguns. They are happy to answer questions about any item. You will also find a complete line of top-notch accessories and just the item needed for hunting, target shooting and fishing.

Custom Gunworks is located at 117 West 2nd Street, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534.  Phone: 706-265-4888.

Tags: Firearms, Gunsmiths